Henrietta Sees It Through: More News from the Home Front 1942-1945

World War II is now in its third year and although nothing can dent the unwavering patriotism of Henrietta and her friends, everyone in the Devonshire village has their anxious moments. Henrietta takes up weeding and plays the triangle in the local orchestra to take her mind off things; the indomitable Lady B, now in her late seventies, partakes in endless fund-raising eveWorld War II is now in its third year and although nothing can dent the unwavering patriotism of Henrietta and her friends, everyone in the Devonshire village has their anxious moments. Henrietta takes up weeding and plays the triangle in the local orchestra to take her mind off things; the indomitable Lady B, now in her late seventies, partakes in endless fund-raising events to distract herself from thoughts of life without elastic; and Faith, the village flirt, finds herself in the charming company of American GIs. With the war nearing its end, hope seems to lie just around the corner, and as this spirited community muddles through, Lady B vows to make their friendships outlast the hardship that brought them together.

Joyce Dennys was born in 1893 in India. The Dennys family relocated to England in 1896. Dennys enjoyed drawing lessons throughout her schooling and later enrolled at Exeter Art School. As she got older, her drawing took a backseat to the domestic and social duties of a mother and doctor's wife and she became increasingly frustrated. She voiced her frustrations through the character of Henrietta, a heroine she created for an article for Sketch. These writings were later compiled to form Henrietta's War, first published in 1985....more

Community Reviews

This is the sequel to “Henrietta’s War,” and again it takes the form of fictional letters, written by Henrietta Brown – wife to the local doctor and mother to grown up children Bill and the Linnet – who spent the war in a ‘safe area’ of Devon, in the small rural community where she lived. Published in Sketch magazine, these letters gave the housewife a voice in the war; showing the daily struggles made by the countless women around the country who coped with rationing, evacuees – or being one –This is the sequel to “Henrietta’s War,” and again it takes the form of fictional letters, written by Henrietta Brown – wife to the local doctor and mother to grown up children Bill and the Linnet – who spent the war in a ‘safe area’ of Devon, in the small rural community where she lived. Published in Sketch magazine, these letters gave the housewife a voice in the war; showing the daily struggles made by the countless women around the country who coped with rationing, evacuees – or being one – fuel targets, digging for victory, cuts and the general weariness caused by a war which had gone on for several years. Henrietta suffers when a ‘Good Book Drive’ means she must give up some of her precious and beloved volumes, feeling “like a mother delivering her children to an orphanage.” Everyone is a little tired now and have to keep giving each other support. Also, tempers are a little frayed, but all in all everyone is muddling through and managing very well.

Of course, Henrietta and her friends are aware that they are not in the front line and they suffer many pointed comments from those who have been bombed out. As Lady B, Henrietta’s closest friend and ally states though, living in London is very much like being an “only child.” Residing in the close knit community where they live is difficult, but is ultimately like being in a family – often leading to squabbles, but ultimately good for you. However, the jibes obviously hurt, especially when the war intrudes in personal ways. There is one really tragic moment when somebody's son is killed, yet the mother still takes part in a croquet tournament, and does not even tell anyone there that it happened. I found a real lump in my throat, I have to say, and was surprised in such a generally light-hearted book. Indeed, the general feel of this, second, book, is much wearier and people tend to suffer more ‘night terrors’ and stress. However, there is also much humour and warmth too. Faith finally ties the knot with the Conductor, The Linnet gets engaged and life, of course, goes on.

Together, these books paint an interesting picture of the Home Front in a small seaside town. Obviously they are meant as propaganda and Henrietta is ultimately cheerful and sensible; her voice persuading women they are doing their best and exhorting them to try harder. Her longing for an evacuee is one which was certainly not welcomed with joy by many housewives, I am sure. However, they are an enjoyable read and I love the characters we meet throughout the two books. Joyce Dennys was an absolute comic genius and her work still has the power to move you, make you think and make you laugh....more

Henrietta Sees It Through is a terrific read. I am partial to novels written in the epistolatory style and this book is a fine example of how well this technique can work. Henrietta’s letters to an old friend paint of picture of British life on the home front during the Second World War. Henrietta is a doctor’s wife in a small town. Her witty letters amuse the reader with tales of family, friends and neighbors and include the author’s charming drawings of their adventures. While always written wHenrietta Sees It Through is a terrific read. I am partial to novels written in the epistolatory style and this book is a fine example of how well this technique can work. Henrietta’s letters to an old friend paint of picture of British life on the home front during the Second World War. Henrietta is a doctor’s wife in a small town. Her witty letters amuse the reader with tales of family, friends and neighbors and include the author’s charming drawings of their adventures. While always written with a light touch, the letters reveal the difficulties of living in a country weary of war and the deprivations that accompany it. Although it probably helps to have read the first book, Henrietta’s War, Joyce Dennys is such a fine writer that the reader quickly becomes familiar with the characters and invested in their stories. It was only after reading the book that I discovered that the “letters” had appeared as sketches in a magazine during the War and were published in book form during the 1980s. My thanks go to the Bloomsbury Group for republishing the Henrietta books. [I won this book through the Goodreads First-Reads Program.] ...more

I just read this again and feel like it deserves a better review. For some perverse reason I have a much easier time articulating why I didn't like a book. When I love one I just keep spluttering "It's so good! So good! I really loved it!" .... which is obviously lacking in detail.

So, in this book Henrietta continues her letters to her childhood friend, Robert who is fighting in WWII. She writes about their village and what is happening there. Henrietta is SO funny. Right at the beginning she I just read this again and feel like it deserves a better review. For some perverse reason I have a much easier time articulating why I didn't like a book. When I love one I just keep spluttering "It's so good! So good! I really loved it!" .... which is obviously lacking in detail.

So, in this book Henrietta continues her letters to her childhood friend, Robert who is fighting in WWII. She writes about their village and what is happening there. Henrietta is SO funny. Right at the beginning she sees a nice, elderly gentleman sitting on a bench staring out to sea and she, along with a neighbor, decide he must be a spy. They alarm the poor fellow and chase him around the shore until he gets away and they find him later telling a lady in the club how he was "chased, yes positively chased by two females today - and they were old enough to know better", and Henrietta and friend slink away.

Her letters consist of details about how their small town tries to help the war effort, how her husband (the town doctor) is busy working, and how her neighbors keep things interesting. In one chapter she is determined to corner and kiss an elderly neighbor at a New Years party who does NOT want to play the game. It really made me laugh.

Truly, I love this book. It's just so clever. Dennys illustrates it with her own little cartoonish drawings and I couldn't love it more. Seriously, someone read this and then I'll have someone to talk about it with.

Dennys was frustrated during WWII; frustrated with being "the doctor's wife" rather than her own person, with her role as a housewife, and mostly with being made to feel guilty about not "contributing" more to the war effort because she was an older & provincial woman. She vented these frustrations through her character Henrietta, who writes letters to her childhood friend Robert, away fighting. Henrietta is charming and honest and I adore her. I enjoyed this sequel to "Henrietta's War" evenDennys was frustrated during WWII; frustrated with being "the doctor's wife" rather than her own person, with her role as a housewife, and mostly with being made to feel guilty about not "contributing" more to the war effort because she was an older & provincial woman. She vented these frustrations through her character Henrietta, who writes letters to her childhood friend Robert, away fighting. Henrietta is charming and honest and I adore her. I enjoyed this sequel to "Henrietta's War" even more than the first book because as the war went on, it further frayed people's nerves, strained friendships, and polarized people's views, and Dennys addresses this deterioration openly and poignantly. Londoners particularly could be self-righteous about their role in dealing with bombings. And yet provincial folk had to deal with evacuees and of course, the loss of their menfolk. For example, in one scene, an Admiral's wife has learned in the morning that her son was killed in action, but she keeps it to herself and goes on to play in a charity croquet tournement in the afternoon, rather than spoiling the event by bowing out. A Londoner happens upon the event:, "'My dear, croquet!' said the Lady Visitor to her companion. Then she gave a little scream. 'Oh! And bowls, too! How sweet! Of course, these people simply don't know there's a war on!' The Admiral dropped his pipe on the grass. As he stooped to pick it up he laid his hand for a moment on Mrs. Admiral's knee."

In addition to wit and perspicacity, the book features Dennys's humorouos line drawings, which remind me of New Yorker cartoons of the time. She was an artist before she was a writer....more

Henrietta's (fictional) letters to her childhood friend were published as a newspaper column throughout the war. This is the second batch, after Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942.They contain more of Joyce Dennys's delightful illustrations and the same colourful characters. The tone is still mainly light and humorous, but not as upbeat as the first book; the war has been going on a long time now and shortages, rationing, travel restrictions, etc. are making people more irritateHenrietta's (fictional) letters to her childhood friend were published as a newspaper column throughout the war. This is the second batch, after Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942.They contain more of Joyce Dennys's delightful illustrations and the same colourful characters. The tone is still mainly light and humorous, but not as upbeat as the first book; the war has been going on a long time now and shortages, rationing, travel restrictions, etc. are making people more irritated, although events are still organised to keep their spirits up. Many people have relatives in the forces and worry about them. Some get bad news.I think this is a realistic picture of what life was like for many people on the home front. This is a seaside town, not a port or industrial city, so they have evacuees, not heavy bombing, but everyone is still affected by the war. ...more

Henrietta Sees It Through proves just as witty and charming as the previous volume, Henrietta's War. Written in the form of letters from Henrietta to her childhood friend (now turned soldier), Robert, with amusing little cartoons strewn throughout, I've found this series to be an absolute comfort and delight. Henrietta is a very sensitive sort, more easily affected by things than most, and I find it especially interesting to read about the war from this point of view as I'm exactly the same. It'Henrietta Sees It Through proves just as witty and charming as the previous volume, Henrietta's War. Written in the form of letters from Henrietta to her childhood friend (now turned soldier), Robert, with amusing little cartoons strewn throughout, I've found this series to be an absolute comfort and delight. Henrietta is a very sensitive sort, more easily affected by things than most, and I find it especially interesting to read about the war from this point of view as I'm exactly the same. It's heartening to hear tales of survival from Highly Sensitive sorts in such grisly, overwhelming times, and I think this is why it remains a comfort for me. If Henrietta can survive the war, I surely can survive the modern world.

Some of my favourite parts, you ask? Certainly!

"Mrs Savernack covered herself with glory by rushing into the garden and firing a shot-gun at the enemy plane.She swears she scored a hit, and is now so flushed with success that she is trying to form a Women's Home Guard. She says she isn't going to ask me to join, because I wouldn't be any good."

"The admiral mopped his brow. 'You weren't a suffragette before the last war by any chance, were you?' he said.Lady B twinkled at him. 'We were abroad at the time,' she said, 'but I'd have liked to be one.'"

"'More?' I cried dismayed. 'My idea was to go and live in a small flat in London and know five people.''You always were a horrid little Isolationist,' said Lady B.'Yes,' I said meekly....more

This book is a sequel to Joyce Dennys Henrietta's War. While Dennys was reserved in the first book, she opens up a bit more to the reality of homefront hardships in Henrietta Sees it Through. The same "letter to a solider abroad" format is used for this second book, with the major theme being the stresses and extreme guilt placed upon the women left behind from the British government.

Dennys gets across the war weariness well, especially in the March 8, 1944 letter where "Henrietta" explains howThis book is a sequel to Joyce Dennys Henrietta's War. While Dennys was reserved in the first book, she opens up a bit more to the reality of homefront hardships in Henrietta Sees it Through. The same "letter to a solider abroad" format is used for this second book, with the major theme being the stresses and extreme guilt placed upon the women left behind from the British government.

Dennys gets across the war weariness well, especially in the March 8, 1944 letter where "Henrietta" explains how everyone in the village is at the end of their ropes, with the closest of friends snapping at each other. In the end, it is an air raid that brings everyone back onto speaking terms; the mutual hatred of Hitler and the experience of going into the shelters reinvigorates the village's relationships. The oddness of this change is expressed by Lady B: "Isn't it awful that we have to have a German plane over us to stop us being disagreeable and make us realize that we have a Great Deal to Be Thankful For?" (117).

If you want to get a better idea of what country women endured in Britain during the second war, you should pick-up this sequel. The letter format makes this collection extremely readable and allows the day-to-day tribulations to be conveyed in digestible segments....more

This is my very first "first-reads" book won! I have not received it yet, but I can't wait to get it.I love "home front" WWII stories! Thanks,Goodreads! I will definitely review it, so the Goodreads team will know I am a good and dependable "first-reads" reviewer.

Jan 21, 2011 Just received this book in the mail today. I will start reading it as soon as I finish the book I am currently in the middle of - which is so good, I cannot put it down to read anything else!

I have now read this fun littleThis is my very first "first-reads" book won! I have not received it yet, but I can't wait to get it.I love "home front" WWII stories! Thanks,Goodreads! I will definitely review it, so the Goodreads team will know I am a good and dependable "first-reads" reviewer.

Jan 21, 2011 Just received this book in the mail today. I will start reading it as soon as I finish the book I am currently in the middle of - which is so good, I cannot put it down to read anything else!

I have now read this fun little book. I was surprised to discover that this book is actually a reprinting of a series of letters written by the fictional character Henrietta, submitted by Joyce Dennis to the British magazine "Sketch," back in the 1940's. They were wildly popular with the British people at the time of original publication because of their humorous view of the "home front" situations people in rural England faced everyday of the war. The publishers of this paperback compilation of those letters from "Henrietta," the Bloomsbury Group, evidently had hopes that people from another time would also enjoy reading these humorous incidents from the daily life of the country folk in Devonshire, England during World War II. I enjoyed them very much! Of course, I am a "1940"s soul living in the body of a 21st century woman. I absolutely love stories, music, movies, history of the war years. This little book gave me a first hand, although a rather light-hearted view of some of the ways these Devon folk dealt with the hardships during the war. I would highly recommend it to anyone with a love of Britain and the 1940's....more

First of all I want to say THANK YOU FIRST READS (!!!!) for sending me a free copy of this book...and sorry it has taken me sooooo long to finish! I wanted to read the first edition of Henrietta stories before starting this one.

This was the brilliant sequel to "Henrietta's War".It covers the years 1942-1945.In some ways I think I enjoyed "Henrietta Sees It Through" more than it's predecessor. The main reason for this is that by now I know and love all the many characters inhabiting Henrietta's wFirst of all I want to say THANK YOU FIRST READS (!!!!) for sending me a free copy of this book...and sorry it has taken me sooooo long to finish! I wanted to read the first edition of Henrietta stories before starting this one.

This was the brilliant sequel to "Henrietta's War".It covers the years 1942-1945.In some ways I think I enjoyed "Henrietta Sees It Through" more than it's predecessor. The main reason for this is that by now I know and love all the many characters inhabiting Henrietta's world. There's: Henrietta, of course, a middle aged housewife living in a country village during WWII.Henrietta's husband, Charles, the village doctor. Lady B., the portly widow who hangs out with Henrietta.Faith, the village flirt.The Conductor, Faith's husband....Among many others.This is daily life during the war for those living in the country.There were moments of laughter and tears while the charicters try to keep it together mentally and emotionally. While the end of the war is a happy time, there is also a note of sadness that the closeness of the characters achieved during the war may be coming to an end as is the way of life they had come to know.I loved this book. It is a quick and uplifting read. ...more

"Henrietta Sees It Through" is the sequel to another book in the Bloomsbury Group series, "Henrietta's War." The two novels, written by Joyce Dennys during the second World War, are actually compilations of "letters" written from Henrietta to her childhood friend, Robert. These letters were published in "Sketch" magazine during the war and were published in book form in the 1980s.

"Henrietta Sees It Through" is a delightful book. Dennys has what my English teacher calls "that dry British wit"; mo"Henrietta Sees It Through" is the sequel to another book in the Bloomsbury Group series, "Henrietta's War." The two novels, written by Joyce Dennys during the second World War, are actually compilations of "letters" written from Henrietta to her childhood friend, Robert. These letters were published in "Sketch" magazine during the war and were published in book form in the 1980s.

"Henrietta Sees It Through" is a delightful book. Dennys has what my English teacher calls "that dry British wit"; most of the letters have humorous or ironic endings. But the novel isn't just a light read - it also portrays the difficulties of life on the British home front during WWII, albeit with a slightly comedic slant. Henrietta, as a doctor's wife in a small country town, is exempt from many of the wartime restrictions, which actually makes her feel guilty. Like many women on the home front, she alternates between wanting to be more patriotic and complaining about shortages and scrap drives. Some of her funniest letters, however, come from her everyday encounters with some of the more interesting - and occasionally irritating - inhabitants of her small town. "Henrietta Sees It Through" is a great read for anyone interested in World War Two, British literature, or just humorous novels.

This book originally ran as a magazine series in England during World War II. It is a compilation of letters written by Henrietta, "The Doctor's Wife", to her childhood friend and neighbor, Robert, who is serving on the war front. It focuses on the happenings and the people of the Devonshire village in which they both live, not on the actual battles or events of the wars. It covers the trials and events of the everyday people trying to keep life as normal as possible during the war. It covers raThis book originally ran as a magazine series in England during World War II. It is a compilation of letters written by Henrietta, "The Doctor's Wife", to her childhood friend and neighbor, Robert, who is serving on the war front. It focuses on the happenings and the people of the Devonshire village in which they both live, not on the actual battles or events of the wars. It covers the trials and events of the everyday people trying to keep life as normal as possible during the war. It covers rations, salvage drives, clothing coupons, American Blue Star Mothers, loss of sons, and even the devastation of getting a "ladder" in your silk stocking because there are no more to be had.

It is full of quirky characters and events. I love books that are character studies of quirky small town people. This is a fun look at just such a town. The only thing I wish is that it had drawn a closer connection of reader to character. It was as the reader is watching what is happening instead of being a part of the events.

What a great book - I was a little concerned when I got it from the First Reads giveaway, since I hadn't read the first volume - but that turned out not to be a problem at all. It took a few pages to figure out the relationships between the characters, but you get caught up quickly. It is wonderful that this publisher is unearthing some of these forgotten mid-20th century books that would otherwise be forgotten - most of what is currently out there from the WWII era, at least on the American sidWhat a great book - I was a little concerned when I got it from the First Reads giveaway, since I hadn't read the first volume - but that turned out not to be a problem at all. It took a few pages to figure out the relationships between the characters, but you get caught up quickly. It is wonderful that this publisher is unearthing some of these forgotten mid-20th century books that would otherwise be forgotten - most of what is currently out there from the WWII era, at least on the American side, is focused on dramatic episodes from the war itself, so it is rare to get a glimpse of what life was like on the home front in England. It was particularly interesting to read about the guilt of wanting to do more for those at home - that's not something you really think about, since we always hear about the sacrifices everyone made. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in history - but really, even if you're not a big history reader, this is so enjoyably written and goes so quickly that I can't imagine anyone not liking it. ...more

At first it was a little difficult to get into this novel without having read the predecessor and therefore not knowing the cast of characters but after awhile you begin to appreciate the vignettes for what they are: enjoyable slices of life from the time period of World War II. I think what I found most interesting and notable was the affect war had on gender roles; there are a number of instances where Dennys subtlety reminds the reader that while women were asked to give of themselves as equaAt first it was a little difficult to get into this novel without having read the predecessor and therefore not knowing the cast of characters but after awhile you begin to appreciate the vignettes for what they are: enjoyable slices of life from the time period of World War II. I think what I found most interesting and notable was the affect war had on gender roles; there are a number of instances where Dennys subtlety reminds the reader that while women were asked to give of themselves as equally as men were their returns and benefits were far lower. One example in particular is of equal compensation for injury during war time attacks, men being compensated greater than were women at the time, it serves a good reminder of are not so distance past. The epistolary style reminded me of Bridget Jones and one can see how it would have made for a nice read during uncertain times because of the general hopeful tone of the text. ...more

This book is a collection of fictional letters Dennys wrote for Sketch, a British magazine. The majority (but certainly not all) are light in tone and are accompanied by simple line drawings. I was worried at first because this is the second book, the first being Henrietta's War, but the episodic nature meant it wasn't a problem. I enjoyed this one so much that I am planning to get a copy of the first.

I agree with other reviewers that if you like the Provincial Lady stories, you will enjoy thisThis book is a collection of fictional letters Dennys wrote for Sketch, a British magazine. The majority (but certainly not all) are light in tone and are accompanied by simple line drawings. I was worried at first because this is the second book, the first being Henrietta's War, but the episodic nature meant it wasn't a problem. I enjoyed this one so much that I am planning to get a copy of the first.

I agree with other reviewers that if you like the Provincial Lady stories, you will enjoy this one, although the Lady B's are totally different people.

Some of the illustrations did not get reproduced very well. They felt cramped and it would have been nice to see them larger. It also took me a while to figure out the names of Henrietta's help; I couldn't figure out why she referred to church services like that.

I'm glad the Bloomsbury group is bringing these kind of books back into print!...more

February 11, 1942My dear RobertIs there anything more fascinating than cutting the edges of a lawn?

My review:

I definitely liked this one! I'm trying to decide if I like it more than the first book, Henrietta's War, or if I just feel more comfortable liking it since most of the characters are familiar friends by this point. It definitely covers more than the first book. It speeds through the rest of the war. (Perhaps because this book doesn't publish every single letter originallyHow it begins...

February 11, 1942My dear RobertIs there anything more fascinating than cutting the edges of a lawn?

My review:

I definitely liked this one! I'm trying to decide if I like it more than the first book, Henrietta's War, or if I just feel more comfortable liking it since most of the characters are familiar friends by this point. It definitely covers more than the first book. It speeds through the rest of the war. (Perhaps because this book doesn't publish every single letter originally published for the magazine these were originally written for during the war years.) Once again the setting is a small country village, the narrator is a doctor's wife, Henrietta Brown. The book deals not only with rations and war-worries but with everyday life like gossip, weddings, baby showers, dog shows, squabbles between "friends."

This is a light-hearted but moving book about life in small town Britain during WWII. The local villagers couldn't fight Hitler directly but they did what good they could by weeding gardens,raising funds, taking in evacuees and generally not letting the war get the best of them. Written as a series of letters from Henrietta, the village doctor's wife, to her childhood friend Robert who is off fighting somewhere, Henrietta Sees it Through is best read only an entry or two at a time. By the finalThis is a light-hearted but moving book about life in small town Britain during WWII. The local villagers couldn't fight Hitler directly but they did what good they could by weeding gardens,raising funds, taking in evacuees and generally not letting the war get the best of them. Written as a series of letters from Henrietta, the village doctor's wife, to her childhood friend Robert who is off fighting somewhere, Henrietta Sees it Through is best read only an entry or two at a time. By the final pages I was really taking my time because I had gotten so attached to practical but kind Charles, resolute Lady B, flirtatious Faith, little baby No-well and the rest of the characters that I didn't want the book to end. Fortunately there is an earlier volume of letters, Henrietta's War, that I haven't read yet....more

This is the sequel to Henrietta's War and follows the correspondence of Henrietta on village life during WWII as the war progresses. While there are still the humorous touches of village life and dealing with the privations of war, it is clear that the war has taken some toll on their lives. We do see a marriage and the birth of a baby. Lady B, despite her age, keeps soldiering on, and lifts Henrietta's spirits from time to time. The doctor indulges her quirks, and it is clear that he loves herThis is the sequel to Henrietta's War and follows the correspondence of Henrietta on village life during WWII as the war progresses. While there are still the humorous touches of village life and dealing with the privations of war, it is clear that the war has taken some toll on their lives. We do see a marriage and the birth of a baby. Lady B, despite her age, keeps soldiering on, and lifts Henrietta's spirits from time to time. The doctor indulges her quirks, and it is clear that he loves her dearly. The villagers soldier on through the war, mostly keeping a stiff upper lip, and occasionally having a treat of gin, taking the good times where they may, and managing through the rest. This was a nice companion to the prior book, and I probably would have enjoyed it more had I read the two concurrently. ...more

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway, and I saved it to read on a flight. It seemed like it would be perfect vacation reading for me, and it was. Written during WWII, it chronicles village life as seen by married, empty nester Henrietta. Written as a series of letters to a childhood friend and neighbor serving at arms, Henrietta vents the frustrations of war time living, but never wallows in them, always poking fun, but never losing sight of what is important. I can see why these letters were so aI won this in a Goodreads giveaway, and I saved it to read on a flight. It seemed like it would be perfect vacation reading for me, and it was. Written during WWII, it chronicles village life as seen by married, empty nester Henrietta. Written as a series of letters to a childhood friend and neighbor serving at arms, Henrietta vents the frustrations of war time living, but never wallows in them, always poking fun, but never losing sight of what is important. I can see why these letters were so appealing when originally published as magazine pieces during the war, and they have not lost their appeal.

This is a compilation of a series of brief, morale-boosting newspaper pieces written during the Second World War. The humour is mild, mid-century and middle class, and though Dennys occasionally does acknowledge the stifling, fearful atmosphere of the times, it's rarely for long. Had the comical aspect of the book more bite, or the characterisation more emotional depth, I think I would have liked this much more. As it is, while I found it an interesting historical artefact, the amiable charm ofThis is a compilation of a series of brief, morale-boosting newspaper pieces written during the Second World War. The humour is mild, mid-century and middle class, and though Dennys occasionally does acknowledge the stifling, fearful atmosphere of the times, it's rarely for long. Had the comical aspect of the book more bite, or the characterisation more emotional depth, I think I would have liked this much more. As it is, while I found it an interesting historical artefact, the amiable charm of Dennys' writing was not enough to overcome the work's propagandistic origins....more

Written as letters to a friend fighting in Europe during WWII, "Henrietta Sees It Through" follows Henrietta Brown, her family, and friends through the trials and tribulations of wartime England. Such a sweet book, it was slightly reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse, though Henrietta and her friends are not quite as mischievous as Bertie Wooster and his friends. A very enjoyable read, even if you've not read the first volume (as I hadn't).

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, as parWritten as letters to a friend fighting in Europe during WWII, "Henrietta Sees It Through" follows Henrietta Brown, her family, and friends through the trials and tribulations of wartime England. Such a sweet book, it was slightly reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse, though Henrietta and her friends are not quite as mischievous as Bertie Wooster and his friends. A very enjoyable read, even if you've not read the first volume (as I hadn't).

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program....more

.Henrietta Brown is the doctor’s wife in a small English village during WW II. She and her family and friends carry on with their lives and duties during that difficult time. Dennys is a wonderful portrayer of human nature. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the delightful line drawing illustrations that are scattered throughout the book bringing the characters even more to life. Along with her previous book Henrietta’s War, be prepared not to be able to put these wonderful books down.

A lighthearted read often with serious undertones. I found myself in sympathy with Henrietta very often. The character sketches are deftly done and charming, and the book gives many insights into life on the home front in the Second World War.

Charming, delightful, and witty. I loved reading Henrietta's account of life during wartime. I was surprised at how many varied subjects she touched on - like isolationist patriotism, feminism, and child-rearing - are still appropriate today. All of these subjects are touched on matter-of-factly in the course of the narrative, not as the end to the writing itself. The personal, after all, is the political.I can't wait to read more of these reissues by Bloomsbury.

Such a little gem. A series of fictional (yet semi-autobiographical) letters from the wife of a doctor in an English village during World War Two. Henrietta weeds in her garden, attends dog shows, takes in evacuees from bombed London, and generally carries on.The author has a gentle, witty, and very English sense of humor. I loved this book to pieces.

Many thanks to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this through a First Reads giveaway!

I have enjoyed this book very much. The characters are just delightful and feel like friends. I particularly loved the chapter where Henrietta is asked to donate books for the Red Cross and is then told that they will be made into pulp. The outcome is so funny, but totally understandable for any book lover. It's a good look at life in England during the war.

As World War II continues, the residents of Henrietta's little Devonshire village face harder challenges, and some tragic losses. They also meet the Americans who are now stationed in their part of England, getting ready for the invasion of France. Petty bickering threatens some friendships, but in the end their inherent goodness and courage give them strength to win through to the end of the war.

JOYCE DENNYS was born 14th August 1883 in India. The Dennys family relocated to England in 1886. Dennys enjoyed drawing lessons throughout her schooling and later enrolled at Exeter Art School. In 1919 Dennys married Tom Evans, a young doctor, and they moved to Australia. While living in New South Wales, Dennys's work was constantly in print and exhibited in many galleries. In 1922 Joyce became a JOYCE DENNYS was born 14th August 1883 in India. The Dennys family relocated to England in 1886. Dennys enjoyed drawing lessons throughout her schooling and later enrolled at Exeter Art School. In 1919 Dennys married Tom Evans, a young doctor, and they moved to Australia. While living in New South Wales, Dennys's work was constantly in print and exhibited in many galleries. In 1922 Joyce became a mother and moved back to England. Her drawing took second place to the domestic and social duties of a doctor's wife and mother and she became increasingly frustrated. She voiced her frustrations through the character of Henrietta, a heroine she created for an article for Sketch. Henrietta was to become so important to Dennys that she once remarked, ‘When I stopped doing the piece after the war, I felt quite lost. Henrietta was part of me. I never quite knew where I ended and she began.' These letters were later compiled to form Henrietta's War, first published by Andre Deutsch in 1985....more

“Living in a small town...is like living in a large family of rather uncongenial relations. Sometimes it’s fun, and sometimes it’s perfectly awful, but it’s always good for you. People in large towns are like only-children.”
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“...‘All this suffering,’ I said, ‘and nothing but greed and violence to build on when the war is over.’‘Have another soda-mint,’ said Charles.I had one. Then I said, ‘Why are we here? That’s what I don’t understand. Why be here at all when it all has to be so beastly?’‘I suppose we just came, like mould on cheese.’‘Then why do we want to be happy? Mould on cheese doesn’t want to be happy.’ ...”
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